Shire of Augusta-Margaret River set to tighten controls on Airbnbs in rural settings

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is pushing ahead with reforms to where short-stay accommodation can be located in the outskirts of the region because of concerns about bushfire safety. The move comes despite mystery surrounding the State Government’s promised reforms to the sector driven by traditional accommodation providers under attack from the rampant growth and popularity of Airbnb-style listings. Rural residents this week received a letter from the Shire advising them of the chance to give feedback on the proposal to reduce where short stays would be considered. It follows a council resolution last year to bring forward the next review of the Shire’s short stays policy, with deputy Shire president Julia Meldrum citing concerns about amenity and bushfire safety in the rural zone. “The changes to the policy are intended to prevent holiday homes from locating in rural residential areas where the bushfire hazard is categorised as ‘extreme’,” the letter said. “In areas where the bushfire hazard is deemed to be ‘low’ the process for gaining an approval will be made simpler.” The Shire’s existing bushfire risk managementpPlan would be used as a guide to determine areas of fire risk, with big swathes of the rural zone identified as high or extreme risk. The Shire noted bushfire safety guidelines had also become much tighter as a result of WA Planning Commission guidelines. The safety issue had affected several recent applications in areas previously affected by the 2011 Margaret River bushfires which destroyed about 50 properties. One operator who asked not to be named said concerns around bushfire safety were understandable, but the Shire was bucking the trend overseas and risked affecting the character of the town centre by outlawing rural stays. However, the Shire noted another State Government update on requirement was due soon, and “this is likely to further restrict development in many areas of the shire”. Areas such as Molloy Island were identified as places where firefighting access was too restricted to justify allowing visitor stays. “Over time, the guidelines have become increasingly rigid, with many proposals in rural residential areas particularly being unable to meet the acceptable development criteria and hence reliant on ‘performance principle solutions’,” the report said. “It is a well-known fact that the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, who the Shire routinely consult with regarding development applications, do not support performance-based solutions.” It was yet to be revealed what effect MP John Carey assuming the Planning ministry would have on the progress of the State Government’s pledged action on short stays, which included potential introduction of a WA-wide registry and removing the need for permits for providers operating fewer than 90 days per year. The latest Shire report said in December 2021 a cap at 60 days was touted. Shire submissions closed on June 28.